The ancient history of the name Gallieard began soon after 1066 when the Norman Conquest of England occurred. It was a name given to a happy, joyous, and bold person. The name Gallieard derives from the nicknamethe galliard, which means the bold or the joyous.

Early Origins of the Gallieard family

The surname Gallieard was first found in county Devon where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Gallieard family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gallieard research.Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 135 and 1351 are included under the topic Early Gallieard History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gallieard Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Gallieard family name include Gaylord, Gaillard, Galliard, Gaylor, Gayleard and others.

Early Notables of the Gallieard family (pre 1700)

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gallieard Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gallieard family to the New World and Oceana

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Gallieard family to immigrate North America: John Gaylord who settled in Nantasket in 1630; William Gaylord settled there the same year.